Attachment for railroad-switches.



N. 3. KEY

ATTACHMENT FOR RAILROAD SWITCHES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 19K). 1 a 1 87 997 1221mm J3me 2Q, 153 25.

2 SHEETSSHEET 7.

wwmq iora N. s. KEY. ATTA'CHMENT FOR RAILROADSWITCHES. APPLICATION FILED MAR.Z0,1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

I memo r.

i "ran s'rarns manna enrich.

NICHOLAS S. KEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent. latenfed June 20,1916.

. Application filed March 20,1915. Serial No. ia'zss.

- following to be a full, clear, and exact deimprovements in attachments for railroad I or cars.

I provide a device there is employed a'pair of scription of the nvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful switches, and has for its principal object to provide a safety appliance which maybe switches of the ordinary construction without in any way altering the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will effectively bind switch points to rails, thus removing danger of the switch splitting and derailing trains of. the invention is to device for the switch points which may be secured either to the rails onto the ties at the desire of the user, and which will firmly force the respective switch points into engagement with each respectiverail. I

Still another object of the invention 18 to which when in place will effectively hold the rails against spreading. A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for holding the attachment in place on the rails, WhlCh may A further objectprovide a binding be easily and quickly removed at the desire of the user. I

In order to accomplish the above .ob ects, I bearings which may be either secured to the rails or to the ties at a suitable point near the free endsof the switch points. A. suitable rocker shaft is rotatable in the bearings and carr es at each end a compression lug. Carried by. the

switchpoints are suitable filler stripswhich are provided with offset portions whlch are connected to the strips by cam faces, and against these I lugs bear in holding-the swltch points firmly in-engagement with the ra ls. The rocker shaft may be controlled by a lever, or may be operated from the switch operating mechanism, but it is essential that the shaft be turned soas to swing the lugs downwardly before the switch can be thrown? After the filler strips the compression points and through switch is thrown, the rocker shaft is-rotated so that the lugs are again turned upwardly and engage either of the offset portions of the filler strips, thus firmly locking the switch points to the rails. opposite the one which engages the rail when the switch is thrown in either position,1s sep-, arated from ts respective rail by the lugs, and it will be evident that even though the said switch points should become separated from the switch rod, the same could not return to position against the rail as the lug will effectively form a stop, thus leaving a passage for the reception of the wheel flange of the rolling stock. 7

In order to gain a clear and exact knowl-' edge of the-device designed for the above purposes, reference will be had to the following specification and accompanying drawings wher parts and in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a switch showing the same in clear position and showing this improved safety appliance .in operative position thereon, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line Fig. 1, on the perspective view showing the brackets for supporting the rocker shaft to the rails, Fig. 5 is a detail perspectiveview of one of. the compression tional view through a rail and rail plate showing the plates on which the switch points ride, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the connector by which the switchpoints are operatively connected, Fig.

ein like numerals refer to like 2-2 of F g. 3 is an enlarged sectional view I line 3 -3-of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a detail lugs, Fig. 6 is an enlarged sec-'- The switch point 1 8'is an enlarged fragmentary view of oneof the switch points constructed 1n accordance .with the modlfied form ofthe device, Fig.

;Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 1 designates a railroad rail of theusual construction. This rail 1 is generally known as the stock rail against which the switch points 2 op erate. Connecting the switch point/s2 'is a suitable switch rod'3 which is provided intermediate its endswith the sleeves 4 having the enlargements 5 formed at one end. -These enlargements are bent upwardly as at 6 and areapertured to receive the bolts 7 which extend through the switch the extensions 6 to form meral 10,'w hich will be more fullyh'e'reinaf- -t er"described.

' 1 The filler strip 10 above referred to, comprises "the-body 11 provided at one 'end with the offset portion '12 which isarranged to overlie the portions 6 of the extensions 5, and at the opposite end ofthis body 11 is the thickened portion 13 provided with the face 14 which is connected with theface ofthe body 11 by mean-s'of the cam face 15. The oppositeface of the thickened portion is inclined as at 16 had the body 1.1

- 1S extended and bent to form the hook 17 which engages around the end of the switch point.

'erati'on.

Thev construction thus far described, is-

us'ed in connection With. both forms of m improved safety appliance, and it is against the face 14of'the filler strip 310 that the compression lug, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and which is carried by the'rock'er shaft, bears.

The rockershaft above mentioned, is roatably mounted in suitable brackets carried by either therail'or the ties, which brackets will be'described in detail hereinafter,- and, the rocker shaft is designatedby the numeral 18. This rocker shaft, has secured intermediate its ends the compression lugs designated generally by the-numeral. 19, each of which comp-rises the sleeve 20-, ha'ving formed thereon the upstanding portion 21 provided with the arcilate outer face '22, which arcuate face engages the face 14 of the filler strip 1.0 when the device is in op- The ends of the rocker shaft 18 are preferably threaded as at 23 and provided with the reduced extensions 24 which; are arranged to project into the bore 25 formed in the socket 26, which in turn is formed on the rod 27 the end of which is bent angularly as at 28 to form a lever. This angular portion 28 is provided with i the slot 29 for the reception'of a suitable staple or eye carried by the plate 30 which is secured to one of the ties.

In order to support the, rocker shaft 18 .in operative position :on the 'rails, there is provided the attaching member 31 comprising the base 32 whichengages beneath'the base of the rail. and on which is formed the flange engaging member 33. This flange engaging member terminates in the web' engaging portion 34 and the base 32 is formed at one end with the downwardly extending transverse enlargement 35'whicli isformed with'the longitudinal aperture 36, in which base 32 and is provided with the aperture 38 for the reception of the shank 39 of the hook bolt designated generally by the numeral 40. One, end of the shank is threaded as at 41 and the opposite end of said shank is upturned as at 42 to form a hook, the inner face 43 of which engages the rail flange.

A suitable-nut. 44 is threaded on the thread-- ed end 41 oft'he bolt, and it will be evident that when. the device is in place, the base.

the flange engaging portion 33 andweb en-' gaging portion '34 engage the flange and '32 extends beneath the base of the rail, while web of the rail respectively. The hook over- I lies the opposite rail flange, and theishank. thereof extends through the. opening 38 in the enlargement 37, thus firmly holding the whole in place. v In event it is desired to use the modified form of the-support illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, there is provided the plate 45 which is provided with suitable fastening-deceiving apertures for the reception of a fastening'means by which the device is secured to a pair. of ties. This plate 45 bridges the space between the ties andflhas, riveted orotherwlse secured to its under surface the plate 46, provided with the downward extension 47 having formed'therein the longitudinally extending aperture 48 in which the ends of the rocker shaft are journaled.

It will thus be seen that the only. material difference between the structureillustrated in Fig. 1 and that illustrated in, Fig. 8, is

the fact that the method of supporting the" shaft is somewhat modified' 'It will be evident from theforegoing that ,in use, assuming the left hand rail to be designated by the character A, and the right hand rail to be designat-d by the character B, the said rail A is continued and bent outwardly-to form the stock rail for the main track and for the switch or spur. The rail B continues in a straight line and forms a continuation of the main track. point a is'arranged-to engage the bent por- The switch I tion of'the'stock rail A-as illustrated in Fig. 1351' 1 to form a left hand -continuation of the mam track, while the switch-point b is arranged to engage the-rail B toco operate withthe bent portion of the rail Ai'n form- 7 ing a track for the spur or switch. Assum-. 1%

ing that the switch is tobe set for clear,

engages the stock rail A and when the rocker .it will be evident that the switch point a shaft is turned into the position shown in Fig. 1, it willbe evident that the compression lug (1 engages the filler-strip carried bv the switch point 01, while the compression lug 7) extends upwardly between the switch point and rail B. \Vhen it is desired to set'the switch for the spur or siding, tha

handle 28 is swung upwardly, thereby releasing the engagement of the lug a"with '13, while the lug a, will extend upwardly between the switch point a andthe rail A. In this way itwill be'evide'nt that a safety appliance is provided which will effectively prevent the switch from splitting and derailing the rolling stock when rolling thereover. It will thus be seen that a device is provided which will effect a material saving in both life and property and many of the accidents due to open switches will be eliminated.

lVhile in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

'What is claimed is:

l. In combination with a railroad switch having a pair of switch points and rails adapted to be engaged by the switch points,

filler members secured to the inside of the switch points, camfaces on the filler mem-' here, said cam faces being disposed inwardly, a shaft journaled beneath the rails and at a point adjacent the ends of the switch points,'lugs on the shaft and curved cam facesen the lugs, said curved cam faces on the lugs being adapted to engage the cam faces on the filler members so that upon rota- 5 tion of the shaft the cam faces will engage and the filler members will be moved toward the rails through the curvature ofthe cam faces on the lugs.

2. In combination with a railroad switch provided with a pair of spaced rails and a pair of switch points, said switch points being adapted to be shifted simultaneously, of

filler strips, each of said filler strips comprising a body', an enlarged portion at one end of the body, a cam face on the outer face of the enlarged portion, the inner face of the enlarged portion of the body being in the same plane, a hook at the extreme end of the enlarged portion to engage the end of the switch point on which the same is used, a shaft rotatable beneath the rails adjacent the ends of the switch point and cam lugs on the shaft arranged to engage the cam faces when the switch points are against the rails whereby upon rotation of the shaft the switch points will be forced against the rails.

In testimony whereof I afiix .my signature in' presence of two witnesses.

4 NICHOLAS S. KEY.

WVitnesses:

I A. J BECKER, v

A. M. PELASKE. 

